The ships have been updated on SWG website!

[Gaaralow]

That's true. A wookiee mechanic flying a giant, slow moving target with a slimeball and a farmboy in the turrets took out an entire squad of TIEs. The Imperial Navy really needs to increase their pilot training beyond seven days if they want to be taken seriously.

[X'an Shin]

That's true. A wookiee mechanic flying a giant, slow moving target with a slimeball and a farmboy in the turrets took out an entire squad of TIEs. The Imperial Navy really needs to increase their pilot training beyond seven days if they want to be taken seriously.

They actually need to stop building their ships out of paper and SOLAR PANELS.

Honestly. If you're not going to put shields on a ship, at least make it out of something that can take a blaster bolt or two. I'm pretty sure a couple of Pistoleers in a space suit can take out a wave of TIEs.

[Illbleed]

Wow!! This is the longest replied to post I've ever created. Woot!

[Keer]

Equal time for both sides:

Imperial Navy just sucks it's a matter of fact

I disagree. The Imperial Navy's another victim of the way they're written in the stories and movies, to some extent. That's all.

That's true. A wookiee mechanic flying a giant, slow moving target with a slimeball and a farmboy in the turrets took out an entire squad of TIEs. The Imperial Navy really needs to increase their pilot training beyond seven days if they want to be taken seriously.

Nah,

- the "wookiee mechanic" is also a good pilot with years of "seat of the fur" flying against every law enforcement authority from the Core Worlds to the Cron Drift. And he's learned those skills from an ace pilot who's "flown everything from capital ships to jetpacks" (Han Solo at Star's End)

- the Millenium Falcon is neither giant nor slow! Definately not slow! Or clumsy. Just "high maintenace". But once it's going? Fugeddaboudit.

- by "slimeball" I take it you mean the ace pilot with ace pilot reflexes? See "wookiee Mechanic".

- Farmboy who is the greatest living potential Jedi of his generation...On the "Farmboy Scale", Luke Skywalker is way above Wesley/Dread Pirate Roberts of The Princess Bride and he was a bad mofo

- and last but not least Star Wars fans remember these lines?

They're tracking us. That's the only explanation for the ease of our escape. - Princess Leia

Is the tracking device safely aboard their ship? - Grand Moff Tarkin

So the Empire probably put a mechanic, a slimeball, a farmboy, and that bumbling Stormtrooper that bumped his head on the door into those TIE Fighters to go after the Falcon just to make it look real! Ha Haaaa!

[Nyase]

Yea, I'll give you the fact that TIE fighters are complete shit. But you see, everyone seems to freget the strategy with TIES.....ZERGING! Because they're so small, and cheaply made, the empire is able to produce them enmass and send craploads out of em out to overwelm the enemy. What they lack in defenses they make up in numbers.

Now, the TIE Interceptors. Better speed, more guns, but still crap. A good pilot can make do without the shields though. It's speed is really nice, and it has the firepower to make quick work of any shielded star fighter. Again, all about the zerging though.

TIE bomber. FLying coffins really. Other than the warhead launchers, completely worthless. They can take more hits than your standard TIE at least. Slow, and armored. Why they put lasers on it is beyond me. They suck against star fighters, but when zerging a cap ship, they can do some heavy damage.

TIE Advanced. If only they'd gotten to mass produce these. They entered the war too late, but the few that did server were very very leathal. Sheilds, hyperdrive, speed of an interceptor, quad lasers, AND warhead launchers. I'll take one of these over an X-wing any day.

TIE Deffender. The mother of all TIES. This baby is the pinnicle of TIE design I say. Shields, hyperdrive, quad lasers, duel ion cannos, dual warhead launchers, AND tractor/jamming beam, not to mention this baby is FAST. They're a bitch to fight against, but they're the best thing you can fly starfighter wise I say. These things put ALL rebel starfighters to shame.

Now, let's not forget about some other imperial star fighters that don't get as much recognition as the TIE serries.

The Assult gunboat. Good ship really. Was the only imperial starfighter equiped with shields and a hyperdrive before the production of the TIE advanced. Came equpiped with Dual laser cannons, and dual ion cannons, as well as missile launchers. Speed was rather lacking though. Was about as fast if not a little slower than an X-wing. Good all purpose craft I say, and my ship of choice when I can't get a TIE Deffender or missle boat.

And lastly, the Assult Missleboat. I really wish this baby were in game. I'd take this thing over a TIE Deffender even. Extreamly fast, equiped with shields a hyperdrive, and a tractor beam. It only had one laser, but who needed it? With a standard payload of 20 advanced concussion warheads in addition to an additional space for 20 more or whatever the mission required, you wouldn't even need it. It's other main feature is the SLAM overdrive system. Designed to drain laser energy and pump it all into the engines, it would boost engine speed by 200%, thus giving you the ability to get in and out of any situation FAST. This baby was designed specifcally to counter the TIE Deffender, and it did a damned good job at it. My personal craft of choice. :P

[Ekade]

Hmm.. the extreme uberness of the late model TIE's is a little disturbing no?

Well... I guess you could justify that considering the vast resources of the empire.

*looks over shoulder at all the "bondo'd", primer colored rebel starfighters*

*shudders*

The empire always gets all the cool goodies.

[Hashum]

See the empire was able to afford crapy star fighters because their capital ships were really better then anything the rebels had. I'd take an Imperial Class Star Destroyer over any rebel capital ship, even the Mon Cal Crusier wasn't a match for the ICSD, plus they were much easier to repair then the Mon Cal. That doesn't even bring up the Super Star Destroyer's which are the mother of all capital ships. My personal fav. forget the death star.

As to more specific fighters I agree that up until the Tie Advance and Tie Defender they were basically worthless. I however disagree that the Advance or even Tie Defender were drastically better then anything the rebels had, the rebels strength was in their fighters. Their fighters could easily take out the tie squads on an ICSD and then they were too fast for the ICSD to pick off. I still think if you've got a decent pilot in an X-Wing or B-Wing unless you are getting swarmed by Tie Advance or Defenders you'd have a fair fight. If there were one of each of those 4 ships I'd rather be in one of the rebel ships is all I can say.